Oregon Ducks football coaching search updates: Mario Cristobal to be named permanent head coach

This space will be updated with the latest information, reports and reaction from around the country until Oregon finds its next head coach after Willie Taggart’s departure for Florida State after one season at UO.

FRIDAY&nbsp

8:25 a.m.: Cristobal to be named head coach permanently

The Oregonian/OregonLive has confirmed that interim coach Mario Cristobal will be promoted to permanent head coach of the Oregon Ducks football program. Stay tuned for more on this development.

NBC Sports Northwest first reported the move.

A source confirms to @yahoosports that Mario Cristobal will be the next coach at Oregon. (@AaronJFentress 1st). Players rallied hard for Cristobal, the former FIU head coach and Ducks interim.

If Oregon goes in-house for a promotion, two candidates already have head-coaching experience.

Mario Cristobal was 27-47 at Florida International from 2007-12. Jim Leavitt was 95-57 at South Florida from 1997-2009.

"We have an outstanding group of assistant coaches and we're fortunate to have a couple who've had head coaching experience," Mullens said Tuesday. "... There's a number of coaches on our staff who have head coach capability and we certainly would want to talk to those."

Tonight's story takes a closer look at Cristobal and Leavitt and the movement, on the part of UO players, to persuade Oregon's decision-makers to hire either. Read the whole story here.